"Santa" Gets Booted From Disney Worldby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 17 Dec 2006 06:13 AM Call it a case of mistaken identity... or a case of holiday HUMBUG, either way the Scrooge-like actions of some people at Florida's Walt Disney World got a Santa look-a-like booted from the "happiest place on earth." According to news reports, the incident started when a group of excited children confused Florida resident and Dsiney visitor, 60-year-old J.D. Worley with jolly ol' St. Nick. The plump, white bearded Worley graciously played along with the large group of kids UNTIL someone apparently complained to the Orlando theme park management that a man in a red shirt and blue jeans with a white beard was pretending to be Santa Claus. That's when Disney managers stepped in. Worley told local news reporters that Disney officials approached him and asked him to stop pretending he was Santa. Meanwhile, Disney park managers state that the reason they confronted Worley was not because he looks like Santa but because the Florida man told the group of children that he was Santa. But, the situation didn't end there. Worley goes on to say that Disney officials asked him to alter his appearance to look less like Kris Kringle so he took off his red hat. However, Worley said he can't help looking like the Santa. "I look this way 24/7, 365 days a year," he explained. "This is me." Disney managers told local reporters they want to set the record straight---they insist that they didn't ban Worley from the park, but simply asked him to stop saying he was Santa. Still Worley ended up leaving the park shortly after the incident, but he says he still loves Disney and Christmas, though he left the happiest place on earth, a little sad. A Disney spokesman told reporters they handled the situation with Worley in the manner that they did "in an effort to protect the magic of Santa." I wasn't at the park when this incident unfolded, but frankly I blame the person or people who called Worley out for causing the commotion. What kind of snitch/Scrooge/Grinch runs and tells park officials that a person is causing "trouble" simply because he wanted to spare the feelings of youngsters who believed he was Santa? Let's not forget this is Disney World-a place where people suit up in character costumes everyday in an effort to make children smile. Worley didn't need a costume to elicit the same response. It doesn't sound as though he was causing a ruckus... they should have just left him alone. What do you think? Related Articles: Holiday Scrooges: No Santa For Kindergarteners And Problems For Pancake Lovers Have These Fictional Characters Influenced You? Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantpopular culture tags User Comments  QueenAngie Central Illinois, USA (59956) 17 Dec 2006 06:07 PMWDW and DW have so many fantasy characters in suits running around the parks and in the daily parades, it sparks the imagination. What a shame that Santa got the boot and had to leave. The man did not put on any character suits, he looks this was 24/365. This is very sad.  Michele Cheplic (37236) 18 Dec 2006 04:48 AMYeah, it makes you wonder about some people. I'm not sure why the person who ratted him out thought he was a threat. Sad. Thanks for the comment QA! Community Tags christmas, disney, santa, theme park Discuss this article
|
Popular Culture categories |
